Read More

Experts believe the fall in arrests is not just down to fewer people smoking cannabis, but rather police forces carrying out fewer stop-and-searches, and dealing with the issue without resorting to detention.

Guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers recommend an “escalating” approach.

A person found in possession of cannabis for the first time can receive a warning if there are no aggravating factors, such as being a repeat offender.

In such cases the incident is recorded, but it does not count as a “criminal” record.

If someone has received a cannabis warning and is caught again, police can issue a spot fine of £80 in the spot.

Read More

If they are caught on a third occasion having been given a warning and a fine, they are likely to face arrest.

Across all police force areas in England and Wales, there was an overall decrease of 42.6 per cent in the number of arrests for possession of cannabis.

There were a total of 140,717 arrests in the year to June 2013, which fell to 80,808 arrests in the year to June 2017.

Lancashire police force recorded the biggest drop with 64.6 per cent fewer arrests from 2,172 in 2013 to 768 four years later.

A spokesperson for drug charity Release said: “The fall in arrests for cannabis is most likely a result of the significant reductions in stop and search, and some police forces focusing their resources on more serious crimes, including property and violent offences.”

The spokesperson said that in 2011/12, there were approximately 1.2m stop and searches in England and Wales carried out by the police.

Around 50 per cent of those were for drugs, primarily possession of cannabis for personal use.

In 2016/17, the number of stop and searches fell to just over 300,000.

The spokesperson also said: “The fact that more than 80,000 people are still arrested for cannabis offences is shocking, especially in cases where the offence is one of possession for personal use.

“Countries around the world are taking a different approach, with many implementing legal frameworks that do not criminalise people caught in possession of drugs.

“At least 25 countries have ended criminal sanctions for possession of either cannabis or all drugs and levels of drug use have not increased, additionally there have been positive outcomes in terms of health, social, and economic factors.”

The spokesperson also said that some police forces have implemented diversion schemes for possession of drugs.

In Avon and Somerset, for example, those caught in possession of drugs for personal use are often referred to a drugs intervention, without an arrest being made.